Tough Times in Las Vegas
by Lovetolove
Summary: How will the CSIs cope after a week from hell? 1st attempt, please be gentle.


Disclaimer: Sadly, I don't own CSI, any of the characters (shame!), or any intellectual rights relating to it. I simply love the show ;o)

A/N HUGE thanks and hugs to Mel, for putting me on the path and giving me the faith to have a go at this

**Tough Times in Las Vegas**

**CHAPTER 1**

It had been a tough week for the officers and CSIs of the Las Vegas Police Department. A young officer had been shot and killed in an all-out firefight that had also resulted in the deaths of 3 suspects, and the critical injury of an innocent young man. The situation had ignited tensions in the Latin part of town. Not only had the police had to cope with the shocking loss of a fellow officer, but with the unrest that followed. To crown it all, evidence had placed the gun that fired the fatal shot in the hand of Captain Jim Brass, a former CSI Supervisor, and friend to many CSIs, who had returned to being a Detective out in the field.

Gil Grissom, the Night Shift Supervisor at CSI was sitting in his office, contemplating just how difficult it was to follow the evidence and end up with a solution that proved a friend was guilty. He knew that Jim would be living with the guilt for the rest of his life, and he still had to face the inquiry into whether it had been a bad shoot. The only bright spot in his friend's life right now was the fact that Officer Bell's widow had been able to forgive him. Grissom hoped that this would eventually help Brass forgive himself for what had been, after all, a terrible accident.

Sara Sidle and Catherine Willows were sitting in the breakroom together, talking softly about nothing in particular, when in came Nick Stokes and Warrick Brown. Greg Sanders trailed not far behind them. Even his slightly puppyish demeanour had been dampened by fatigue and the sorrow that was all-pervasive in the department. In spite of the fact that all the CSIs had worked a lot of overtime this week, they knew that crime never sleeps, especially in a city like Las Vegas, and that they would not get any well-deserved rest until the end of shift.

Grissom came in to hand out assignments, and, seeing the faces of his crew, he said, "We did our jobs on this one. No less, no more. The same as we do with every case that comes through our door. We have to let this go and move on."

"Grissom, how can we move on from this? It sucks. Brass is a damn fine Detective, who made a mistake, and because of our work, he could lose his badge!". In his soft Texan drawl, Nick had managed to sum up the feelings of everyone in the room.

"Because we have to, Nicky. If we don't move on, and continue to do our jobs to our fullest capabilities, we will be letting down..." Grissom looked at the sheets in his hand, shuffling them as he spoke "...Maria Valdez, hotel maid, age 19, found dead in a bathroom of the hotel where she works; Connor Marshall, a businessman who decided to visit Vegas and got more than he bargained for when he was brutally attacked outside the Rampart; Hannah and Benjamin Goldstein, went out to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary and came back to find their home had been burgled; Joanne Burgess, whose house was set alight in a suspected arson attack, with her 3 young children inside...need I continue? Or can we try and move forward now?"

Unaccustomed to harsh words from their boss, everyone was stunned for a few moments, then Sara spoke quietly. "Grissom, we will do our jobs the same as we always do, but some of us actually have feelings about what has happened too." As soon as the words left her mouth, she regretted them. Although Grissom was notoriously tight-lipped and apparently insensitive, she was sure that he had feelings, deep inside, he was just better at repressing them than most people. For just a moment, she was sure he looked hurt, but then it was gone.

At this point, Catherine stepped in. "So I am guessing those names you reeled off are tonight's assignments?"

"Yes", said Grissom, cool and distant as ever, "Catherine and Warrick, take Maria Valdez; Nick, you can go solo on the Connor Marshall case; Greg, I want you to solo, because we have catching up to do after this past week, you take the Goldsteins, but if you have any questions, ASK!; Sara and I will take the arson case." As he spoke, he handed out the sheets of paper in his hand, containing basic case information, addresses and such, and the CSIs left for their assignments, until only he and Sara were left in the room. Softly, almost under his breath, Grissom said Sara's name. As she turned, he said, "I do have feelings, Sara, I just wanted you to know that." And then he headed out the door towards the parking lot, Sara tagging along behind, feeling faintly bewildered.


End file.
